Method and apparatus for stenciling on cloth



Dec. 23, 1930. C. F. KENNEDY 1,786,347

METHOD AND APPARATUS FER STENCIL-1N6 ON CLOTH Filed Dec. 20, 1929 Patented Dec. 23, 1930 U T s-TATE's PATENT OFFICE" CHARLES F. ENNEDY, or STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR or STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT '10 HARRY E. VERRAN,

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STENG'ILING 01v CLOTH App-lication lfiled December 20, 1929. serial-no. 415,479.

- This invention relates .to a methodand apparatus for'stenciling on cloth and the object of the invention is to provide a method of stenciling on cloth which is automatic inoperation and which is performed by apparatus of simple construction.

Another object of the. invention is to 'provide amethod for stenciling oncloth in which the several steps are performed simply and expeditiously. I

Another objectof the invention is to provide an. apparatus for. stenciling on cloth which embodies pneumatic means for carrying out the steps of the method performed t ereby. i

vide a paint holder for a stenciling apparatus from which the paint can be fed by pneumatic means.

I accomplished the above, and other objects of the inventionwhich will be apparent as the description proceeds, by means of the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawingsin'which: V Figure 1 is a front elevationofthe apparatus embodying ,my invention; 7 I Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and x m Figure 3 is a vertical* section through my improved paint container, partly broken away.;- C 3 On the-drawings, in "which like reference characters indicate like parts on all of the fig,-

ures thereof, l'indicates thetable support for the main parts'of the apparatus. '2 indicates the overhead support for the operating shaft 3 which is rotated by means 7 of a suitable pulley 4; or similar mechanism. Secured tothe shaft?) and operated th'ereby is a cam'5.

, The cam 5 is adapted to elevate and lower a guide plate 6 through the mediumof a connecting' rod 7 and a supporting" rod 8; The guideplate 6 is formed with openings therethrough,preferably four in number and located at the four corners thereof, in which openings are loosely mounted the rods 8 carrying at their upper ends stop elements 9 whereby the separation of the guide plate and the'rods is prevented. Surrounding the rods Another object :of the invention is to pro-' are tension springs 10 which tend to hold the guide plate in its upper-most position.

Secured to the lower ends of the rods is a metal plate 11 which metal plate forms the top of the paint container. The stencil paint container comprises a frame 12 of wood which has inserted in the lower portion there of a frame of brass .13. Attached to this frame is a sheet of brass wire cloth 14 which forms'the bottom of thepaint. container. Preferablyshellac is.used for attaching the wire cloth to the wooden and metal frames. The metal top, plate 11 is secured to the frames 12 and 13 in an airtight manner by means of screws or similar devices.

Extending through the metal plate ,11, which forms the topof the paint container, is a pipe 15 (shown in dotted lines in Figure 1) havingsecured to the'upper part thereof a valve casing 16. The valve casing 16 is adapted to be connected to apipelZ which communicates with-a source of air pressure. The valve casing contains therein althreeway valve which is operated by means of-a dpwnwarclly projecting finger 18- on the guide pate' 6.

A sleeve 19 is'provided on the overhead support 2 in which slides the rod Swhereby as it reciprocates in, a vertical directionthe various cooperating parts are maintained in proper alignment. i p

' Mounted on the support 1 is a bar 20 for. the cloth holding roll 21 which is fed between the supporting table andthe paint container. Onthe front of the table may be mounted a knife for cutting 01f a strip of the cloth after the stenciling operation.

While I have shownthe cloth roll as mounted beneath the table,'it is apparent that it relatively to thetable let secured to the frame 12. As is apparent, the frame 12 may be provided with a series of such dowel holes so as to accommodate stencils of different sizes.

The cloth being positioned on the table and the stencil on the bottom of the paint container, the shaft 3 is then started rotating, whereupon the cam 5 causes the rod 8 to descend carrying with it the guide plate 6 and the paint container until the latter rests upon the cloth. Further downward movement of the rod moves the plate 6 downwardly on the rods 8 against the tension of the springs 10. hen the finger 18 reaches its first operating position, the valve will be turned to establish communication between the air pressure tank and the interior of the paint container. The air pressure thus forces the paint through the brass screen bottom of the container and through the stencil which is positioned thereon.

Further movement of the operating finger 18 cuts o'lf communication between the air pressure tank and the interior of the container and establishes communication between the interior of the container and the atmosphere. Continued rotation of the shaft returns the cam to inoperative position whereupon the spring 10 surrounding the rods 8 restore the guide plate 6 to its upper position thereby closing the valve.

The pipe 15 is preferably provided with four outlets extending in radial directions on the interior of the paint container whereby the paint is distributed evenly over the bottom thereof and through the stencil.

The valve which provides communication between the air pressure tank and the interior of the box is preferably of the three-way type so that when communication between the air pressure tank and the box is cut ofi, the in terior of the box will be opened to the atmosphere and the excess pressure therein relieved.

It is apparent that the entire apparatus could be operated by pneumatic pressure, in which case the cloth supporting roll could be caused to ascend to contact with the paint container; continued upward movement of the table and the container would be against the tension of the springs 10 until the valve opening finger 18 had performed its several functions. In such a modification, the pneumatic operating means would be connected in the valve casing 16.

It is to be noted that my improved method differs materially from coating methods in which paint is sprayed on to a surface by means of an air gun, and this marked difference is due in part to the fact that air pressure of about one-half to one pound is suflicient for the successful performance of my improved apparatus and method.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of stenciling on fabric which comprises the steps of placing paint in a pervious bottomed paint container which is impervious to paint at normal pressure, locating a stencil beneath said pervious bottom and pneumatically forcing paint from the container through the pervious bottom and the stencil on to fabric positioned there beneath.

2. In an apparatus for stenciling on cloth, a support for a strip of cloth, a paint container above said support said paint container having a pervious bottom member impervious to paint at atmospheric pressure, said support and said paint container being relatively movable in a vertical direction to approach and recede from each other, a stencil adapted to be positioned between said paint container and said support and means for admitting air pressure to said container for forcing the paint from the container through the bottom and stencil.

3. In an apparatus for stenciling on cloth, a support for a strip of cloth, a paint container vertically movable above said support to contact with said cloth, said paint container having a pervious bottom which is impervious to paint at normal pressure, a stencil adapted to be positioned against said pervious bottom and pneumatic means for forcing the point in the container through the pervious bottom and the stencil on to the cloth.

4. In an apparatus for stenciling on cloth, a support for a strip of cloth, a paint eontainer vertically movable above said support to contact with said cloth, said paint container having a pervious bottom impervious to the passage of paint at normal pressure and an airtight cover, a source of air pressure. and means adapted to establish communication between the interior, of said paint container and said source of air pressure.

5. In an apparatus for stenciling on cloth, a support for a strip of cloth, a paint container mounted to reciprocate in a vertical direction above said support, a source of air pressure, means adapted to establish communication between the interior of said paint container and said source of air pressure, means for reciprocating said container, said last named means operating said first named means.

6. In an apparatus for stenciling on cloth, a support for a strip of cloth, a paint container movably mounted above said support, said container having an air tight cover and a pervious bottom, a source of air pressure, a valved pipe leading from the interior of said paint container to the source of air pressure, means for moving said container toward and away from said support and means operated by said first named means for operating said valve.

7 In an apparatus for stenciling on cloth, a support for a strip of cloth, a paint container mounted to reciprocate above said support, said container having a pervious bottom, a source of air pressure, a pipe between the interior of said container and saidsource of air pressure, a three way valve in said pipe,

means relatively movable with respect to:

said container for operating said valve, and

' means for reciprocating said container and moving said first named means.

8. A paint container for use in a pneu- ,matic stenciling apparatus, said container having a pervious bottom of uniform finemeshed material which is impervious to paint at normal pressure and means for supporting a stencil against said pervious bottom.

9. A paint container for use with an apparatus for stenciling on cloth, said container comprlsing an exterior non-metalllc frame, an 1nner metal frame, a wire cloth bottom secured to said metal frame, and a metal top adapted to be secured to the non-metallic frame in an air tight manner.

10. A paint container for use with a pneumatic stenciling apparatus, a frame constituting the sides of the container, a pervious bottom for said container and means on said container frame whereby stencils of varying sizes may be supported against said pervious bottom.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHAS. F. KENNEDY. 

